Phlox plant named ‘Barphearcer’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Phlox  plant named ‘Barphearcer’, characterized by its upright and mounding plant habit; vigorous growth habit; early and freely flowering habit; purple violet-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Phlox paniculata.

Cultivar denomination: ‘BARPHEARCER’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Phloxplant, botanically known as Phlox paniculata and hereinafter referred toby the name ‘Barphearcer’.

The new Phlox plant is a product of a planned breeding program conductedby the Inventor in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands. The objective of thebreeding program was to create new early and freely-flowering Phloxplants with attractive flower color.

The new Phlox plant originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventor in July, 2011 in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands, of a proprietaryselection of Phlox paniculata identified as code number PA-09-000003-02,not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietaryselection of Phlox paniculata identified as code number PA0049, notpatented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Phlox plant wasdiscovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant fromwithin the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlledenvironment in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands in July, 2012.

Asexual reproduction of the new Phlox plant by cuttings in a controlledenvironment in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands since March, 2013 has shownthat the unique features of this new Phlox plant are stable andreproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Phlox have not been observed under all possiblecombinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. Thephenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditionssuch as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variancein genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Barphearcer’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Barphearcer’ as a new and distinct Phlox plant:

-   -   1. Upright and mounding plant habit.    -   2. Vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Early and freely flowering habit.    -   4. Purple violet-colored flowers.    -   5. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Phlox differ primarily from plants of the femaleparent selection in flower color as plants of the female parentselection have red-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Phlox differ primarily from plants of the male parentselection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Phlox flower earlier than plants of the        male parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Phlox and the male parent selection differ        in flower color as flowers of plants of the male parent        selection have pink-colored centers.    -   3. Plants of the new Phlox are more low temperature-tolerant        than plants of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Phlox can be compared to plants of Phlox paniculata‘Sweet Summer’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of thenew Phlox and ‘Sweet Summer’ differ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Phlox are more compact than plants of        ‘Sweet Summer’.    -   2. Plants of the new Phlox have smaller leaves than plants of        ‘Sweet Summer’.    -   3. Plants of the new Phlox are more freely flowering than plants        of ‘Sweet Summer’.    -   4. Plants of the new Phlox flower two weeks earlier than plants        of ‘Sweet Summer’.    -   5. Plants of the new Phlox have smaller inflorescences and        smaller flowers than plants of ‘Sweet Summer’.    -   6. Plants of the new Phlox and ‘Sweet Summer’ differ in flower        color as plants of ‘Sweet Summer’ have white-colored flowers.    -   7. Plants of the new Phlox are more low temperature tolerant        than plants of ‘Sweet Summer’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearanceof the new Phlox plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Phlox plant.

The photograph comprises a side perspective view of typical floweringplant of ‘Barphearcer’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown during the spring and early summer in13-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in Aalsmeer, TheNetherlands and under cultural practices typical of commercial Phloxproduction. During the production of the plants, day temperaturesaveraged 21° C. and night temperatures averaged 15° C. Plants werepinched one time and were three months old when the photograph was takenand 14 months old when the description was taken. In the followingdescription, color references are made to The Royal HorticulturalSociety Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Phlox paniculata ‘Barphearcer’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Phlox            paniculata identified as code number PA-09-000003-002, not            patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Phlox            paniculata identified as code number PA-0049, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 16 days at            temperatures about 26° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About three weeks at            temperatures about 23° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 24 days            at temperatures about 23° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four            weeks at temperatures about 18° C.        -   Root description.—Thick, fibrous; typically white in color,            actual color of the roots is dependent on substrate            composition, water quality, fertilizer type and formulation,            substrate temperature and physiological age of roots.        -   Rooting habit.—Moderately freely branching; medium density.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Herbaceous perennial typically grown            as a container and garden plant; upright and mounding plant            habit; vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 35 cm.        -   Plant width (spread).—About 30 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 35 cm. Internode length:            About 2 cm. Strength: Strong. Aspect: Mostly upright.            Texture: Sparsely pubescent. Color: Close to 79A.-   Leaf description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.        -   Length.—About 7 cm.        -   Width.—About 2.5 cm.        -   Shape.—Ovate to elliptic.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Attenuate.        -   Margin.—Entire, ciliate.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate, reticulate.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 141A.            Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 138A. Fully            expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 137A; venation,            close to 144D. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close            to 147B; venation, close to 144D.        -   Petioles.—Length: About 2 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Texture,            upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and            lower surfaces: Close to 144D.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower type and flowering habit.—Single rotate and            salverform flowers arranged in compound terminal and lateral            panicles; flowers face mostly upright; freely flowering            habit with about 40 to 50 flowers per inflorescence and            about 600 flowers developing per plant during the flowering            season.        -   Fragrance.—Slightly fragrant, pleasant.        -   Natural flowering season.—Early flowering habit, plants            begin flowering about ten to eleven weeks after planting;            plants flower naturally during July in The Netherlands;            flowers persistent.        -   Flower buds.—Height: About 1.3 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm.            Shape: Ovoid. Color: Close to 155A.        -   Inflorescence height.—About 12 cm.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 13 cm.        -   Flower diameter.—About 2.4 cm.        -   Flower depth.—About 2 cm.        -   Flower throat diameter.—About 2.5 mm.        -   Flower tube length.—About 1.9 cm.        -   Flower diameter, proximally.—About 2 mm.        -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: Typically five in a single            whorl; petals fused at the base into a narrow tube. Lobe            length: About 1.1 cm. Lobe width: About 1 cm. Lobe shape:            Rounded. Lobe apex: Obtuse. Lobe margin: Entire. Lobe            texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Throat            texture: Mostly smooth, glabrous; at the base, pubescent.            Tube texture: Pubescent. Color: When opening and fully            opened, upper surface: Close to 80A; towards the throat,            close to 74A; venation, close to 80A. When opening and fully            opened, lower surface: Close to 82B; venation, close to 82B.            Throat: Close to 82A; venation, close to 82A. Tube: Close to            77A; venation, close to 77A.        -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Typically five in a single            whorl, fused towards the base; calyx, campanulate. Length:            About 9 mm. Width: About 1 mm. Shape: Narrowly deltoid.            Apex: Acuminate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper surface:            Smooth, glabrous. Texture, lower surface: Pubescent. Color:            When opening and fully opened, upper surface: Close to 137B.            When opening and fully opened, lower surface: Close to 137C.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 7 cm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm.            Strength: Moderately strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous.            Color: Close to 144A.        -   Pedicels.—Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 0.5 mm.            Strength: Moderately strong. Texture: Pubescent. Color:            Close to 144A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Typically            five. Filament length: About 2 mm. Filament color: Close to            155C. Anther length: About 1 mm. Anther color: Close to 8C.            Pollen amount: None observed. Pistils: Quantity per flower:            One. Pistil length: About 1.9 cm. Stigma shape: Cleft,            three-parted. Stigma color: Close to 8C. Style length: About            1.7 cm. Style color: Close to 144D. Ovary color: Close to            144A.        -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit development have not been            observed on plants of the new Phlox.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Phlox have been observed to    have good garden performance and tolerate rain, wind and frost.-   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Phlox have not been    observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Phlox    plants.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Phlox plant named ‘Barphearcer’ as illustrated and described. 